Message from Belgrade ved Prodanovic
On Sun, 22 Aug 1999 02:19:53 +0200, "Mathilda Feldthaus" <mathilda.fh@get2net.dk> wrote:
Det er velgørende at høre energien er alligevel er i stigende!
Men hvorda mon det går med Kvinder i Sort?!
Og hvordan det mon går de albanske kvindeorganisationer??
MF
-----Oprindelig meddelelse-----
Fra: S & M Prodanovic <ecourban@EUnet.yu>
Til: Mathilda Feldthaus <mathilda.fh@get2net.dk>
Dato: 21. august 1999 00:55
Emne: message from Belgrade
>Message 20. August 1999
>>Dear Friends,
>>The long awaited rally/demonstration in Belgrade asking Milosevic to
>resign is over, it makes us overall happy, mainly because that after so
>long time during and after bombing campaign "our Serbia" is on the
>streets again, while the "patriotic" rhetoric (xenophobic, antiliberal,
>antiwestern) is getting where it has always been, back to the
>monopolized media (which is of course very powerful. despite the smashed
>TV headquarters and transmitters, even the city's only television
>station monopolized by Vuk Draskovics' party broadcasts the
>nationalistic rhetoric).
>>The long term political prospects are confused, the real opposition on
>the trace of Grand civil protest of winter 96/97 now around "Alliance
>for Change", struggled in Free Cities of Serbia staging local rallies,
>and collecting citizens signatures for dictators' resignation, we feel
>the potential energy for change has bee aroused culminating in last
>nights event. More or less the same crowd was gathering to listen
>competing leaders, which indicates that the wide dissatisfaction of
>people might be again dissolved by leaders, our fear is that the regime
>might be profiting as before. New election without a free media and
>without the international supervision would be just another farce, as
>we had elections for the last ten years (and in communist times there
>were some kind of elections with only one candidate on a list). The
>transitional Government while Milosevic is in power is also another
>farce, makes it clear there is no way until he resigns. And he will not
>do it until he is forced, but question is who is going to force him as
>he controls all levers of power. Practices of "transition the Balkan
>way", speculation on "privatization without denationalization" (read
>grabbing the ex "socially owned properties" without considering the real
>owners before Tito's revolution) and other criminal practices of new
>"business" produces its results.
>>Our thoughts at a time that the bombing and the endowment of a dictator
>for war crimes might have weakened him internationally and in a long
>run, but everyday life in ecologically, infrastructurally, economically
>devastated country can not be considered as leading to democratization.
>The mechanistic thinking suggests that bombing weakening Serbia must
>have weakened its regime, but the holistically observed evidence
>suggests that the regime is stronger by retaining most of the laws and
>practices introduced during the bombing.. It make us think of what
>means for us today to the transition in Eastern Europe and Balkans Mr.
>Clintons' message "no help to Serbia until Milosevic is in power
>> We greet with excitement the declaration of the Pact for Stability of
>Balkans (July in Sarayevo) signed by worlds' leaders, we do not see the
>real way to implementation (how to get rid of our "nomenclature", what
>are the means of the technology for change).. Change by legal means
>considers the use of institutions in Serbia, pathologically sick with
>new hierarchies established on top of previous equally disastrous ones.
>Judiciary system corrupt, baking hopelessly centralized in control of
>dictator, police after Kosovo adventure shaken by evidence of atrocities
>they committed, University, Academy of Science, Media, etc.. all in bias
>superficiality. (as an example just at the University, several dozens of
>Ph.D.-s were granted during the bombing campaign, civil defense and
>Marshall law discipline). Means of extra parliamentary pressure by
>street democracy has been show as futile so far, by military/police
>coupd'etat would lead to yet another blood bath. The only acceptable
>way for change is selective and much more evident help by international
>community, help to proven democratic forces, civic society activists to
>the germs of new institutions, Free Media, (also providing Alternative
>Academic Educational Network with international recognition of diplomas
>etc.)
>>Of course now activated UN and other agencies (environmental, human
>settlements, health, humanitarian even Red Cross) find it hard to relay
>on the reports or services of such sick institutions, but it makes it
>equally problematic to relay on masses of "safari" para-politicians
>zooming thorough Serbia and now through Kosovo, "blood and sensation
>thirsty" journalists, unemployed "experts" who do not know where they
>found themselves. There is a great danger of ignoring a great number of
>good willing and competent local people, knowledgeable and really
>democratically minded professionals, numerous NGO-s heavily dependent on
>various Foundations. Now with withdrawn or drastically reduced support
>instead of being increased as the problems are aggravated, makes one
>very pessimistic.
>>>From the very beginning of ex-Yu transition culminating with NATO
>bombing, our pleading was for sensitivity and smartness in action,
>meaning more knowledge, smart projects, much more significant support
>and reliance on relevant local knowledge leading to more efficiency in
>democratization. Instead of clumsy crudeness which appeared to cost more
>to repair than if nothing was undertaken.
>>Sonja & Milan Prodanovic
>Ecourban workshop,
>Supilova 11,
>11000 Beograd,
>Serbia, Yu
>Tel fax +381 11 750 876
>e-mail: ecourban@eunet.yu
>>>>